Epidemiology of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials: Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

To evaluate whether age-related changes in vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) differ by demographic and cardiovascular risk groups.

Participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging underwent cervical and ocular VEMP testing. VEMP latency, amplitude, asymmetry ratios, and prevalence of absent responses were compared across demographic and cardiovascular risk groups.

In 257 participants (mean age 72.9, 57% female), ocular VEMP (oVEMP) n10 latency increased by 0.12ms/decade while amplitude decreased by 2.9μV/decade. Black participants had better oVEMP function (shorter latency, increased amplitude, and decreased odds of absent responses) relative to white participants. In 250 participants (mean age 72.6, 54% female), EMG-corrected cervical VEMP (cVEMP) amplitude decreased by 0.14μV/decade and p13 latency was 0.38ms longer in males. The odds of absent responses were significantly higher in individuals age ⩾80 for oVEMPs, and age ⩾70 for cVEMPs. Cardiovascular risk factors had no association with VEMP parameters.

We confirmed age-related declines in otolith function, and observed a protective effect of black race on oVEMP latency and amplitude.

These results illustrate how measures of otolith function change with age in community-dwelling adults. Further investigations are needed to ascertain whether better otolith function in blacks might contribute to a lower risk of mobility disability and falls.